Kylo Blocked By Hulu Already — UPDATED

UPDATED Well that was fast. If you’ve tried using the Kylo web video browser, which was just launched this morning, you might have noticed something funny while trying to connect to videos from Hulu — that is, that they’re unavailable. Users can connect to the Hulu site through the software, but are not able to watch any Hulu videos.

When clicking on a video, Kylo users are met with the following message: “Unfortunately, this video is not available on your platform. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

Hillcrest Labs CEO Dan Simpkins issued a statement this morning responding to the lack of Hulu content available through Kylo, saying:

“We are currently investigating why Hulu videos are not playing within the Kylo browser. Prior to our formal launch, Hulu videos would play within the Kylo browser. Like Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari, the Kylo browser is simply a Web browser, and it’s our sincere hope that Hulu isn’t restricting access.”

We’re still waiting for official word from Hulu, but if it is blocking access from Kylo, it won’t be the first time the web video company has attempted to keep its content off an application designed to optimize web video for the big screen. Early last year, Hulu also tried to block Boxee’s software from accessing its shows. For those that followed the back and forth between those two companies, the argument that Kylo is just a browser should be a familiar one; it’s the same thing that Boxee CEO Avner Ronen said when his software was blocked.

UPDATE: Hillcrest Labs has confirmed that Hulu is blocking its content from appearing on the Kylo browser, and has issued the following statement:

“We have confirmed with Hulu that they are preventing the Kylo web browser from playing Hulu videos. Prior to our formal launch, Hulu videos would play within the Kylo browser. Like Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari, the Kylo browser is simply a Web browser that enables consumers to visit any site on the Web. We have tremendous respect for Hulu, and we hope that a continued dialog might influence their thinking.” — Dan Simpkins, CEO of Hillcrest Labs